The present invention relates essentially to a device for at least partially closing a vertical opening in a building, such as for instance, a large-sized shed door opening.
The invention is in particular applicable as a mechanical anti-freeze shutter in particular for the purpose of protecting the inside of the scattering area of an atmospheric cooling tower for a nuclear power generating plant or station.
There are already known devices for closing by means of a continuous transversely rigid and longitudinally flexible screen or shutter such in as, particular, a unidirectionally corrugated or fluted curtain guided on both opposite longitudinal sides by two lateral guideways or tracks, respectively, each one comprising a substantially vertical portion for the straight controlled translatory drive motion with a view to perform an at least partial closing and an opening of the passage-way opening. In such devices, the screen or shutter is usually wound up for opening the passage-way opening in one or several turns, coil layers or like convolutions on a drive support such as a cylindrical roll or a drum.